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Bourjos eager for playing time with Halos

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TEMPE, Ariz. -- For the very first game of a Spring Training that started a week early, causing most of the regulars to sit, Peter Bourjos told manager Mike Scioscia he wanted to be in the lineup. And when Luke Carlin flied out to end the fifth inning Saturday, the Angels' center fielder left the on-deck circle shaking his head, disappointed that he didn't get that third plate appearance.

This spring, on the heels of a 2012 season in which he rarely played the last four months, Bourjos wants as much playing time as possible.

But it's not because he feels this is a tryout to earn regular playing time again.

"I'm just like that," Bourjos said after drawing a walk, scoring from first base, hitting a single and dropping a fly ball against the Cubs at Tempe Diablo Stadium.

"That may be the case, but I don't look at it like that. I just always want to play as much as I can. I like being out there as much as possible. It's been that way since my first Spring Training in 2008."

So far this spring, Scioscia hasn't sounded like a man who's ready to hand Bourjos the everyday job in center field, leaving the door open -- publicly, at least -- for Vernon Wells to earn some occasional playing time in left field, which would move Mike Trout to center.

The Angels skipper remained coy when asked if Bourjos needs to prove himself this spring, saying, "There's a lot of guys who need to win playing time. I talk about that all the time. There's definitely some lineups where Peter's going to make us stronger, and if he's where he needs to be, then he's obviously going to win playing time."